Control apparatus for railway switches



Aug. 29, 1933. w. c. McWHIRTER CONTROL APPARATUS FORRAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Dec. 31, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. l Wllz'am CCMQW/urion HIS A TTORNE Y.

Aug. 29, 1933. w. c. McWHlRTER CONTROL APPARATUS FOR RAILQWAY SWITCHES Filed Dec. 31, 1931 4 SheetsSheet 2 IN VENTOR. [William (7. MQW/u'rfen HIS A TTORNE Y.

Aug. 29, 1933. w. c. McWHIRTER CONTROL APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Dec. 31, 1931 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. William CMQWIII'PZQP.

[115' A TTORNE Y.

Aug. 29, 1933. w. c. M WHIRTER 1,924,369

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Dec. 31, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HIS A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 29, 1933 1,924,369 i CONTROL APPARATUS FOR RA L AY swrronas I p William C. McWhirter, 'tilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to The Union- Switch "& Signal Company, i Swissvale, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December Serial No. 534,100

12 Claims. (crass-411i My invention relates to control apparatus for railway switches, and has for. an objecttheprovision of a switch lock with point detector which adapted for use in connectionwith any of the well-s own forms of manually operable switch throwing'devices, and which when so used will increase the safety of trains or vehicles moving over the switch.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1: is, a

top plan view showing a railway switch ,pro-

vided with a switch lock embodying ,myinven- 1 tion. Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view, showing on an enlarged scale, the switch lock C il-v lustrated in Figs. 1 and .2, the cover or" the lock being removed, and certain of the parts being broken away to better illustrate the construction. Pi 4 is a vertical longitudinal, sectional View of the switch lock C-shown inFig. 3. 5 is an end View, partly in section, and partly in elevation, of the lock shown in FigSLS and 4, certain of the parts beingbroken' away or .re-' moved to better illustrate the construction there- Fig. 6 is a sectionalyiew on the line VIVI of Fig. 5. 7 locking hasp 42 for at :times locking the. foot pedal; 37 in its ncrrnal position. Fig. 8 is asectional view taken on the line VIIIVIII- of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters, referto similar parts in eachcf the several views.

7 Referring first to Fig. l, the reference character A designates a railway switch, and the reference character B designates a device for'operatingit. The switch A is ofthe ordinary and well-known C JllStll1tlOll,'&I1d comprises the usual rails. l and l and movable switch:

points 2 and 2 the switch points being connected for simultaneous movement by a head rod 3andafront rod 4. i

The operating device B, in the .form here shown, comprises a switch stand 5,.having its base 5 spiked or otherwise secured to the ties switch operatingdevice B, as

is a detail view showing the The apparatus thus iar described, is wellknown in the art, and its operation will be readilyunderstood from an inspection'of the draw-: ings.

Attached I is the usual lock rod 14,. and attached to the switch point 2% by means ofqa bracket, 15 is the 'usual adjustable pointdetector rod 161- The lock 1'od14 and the point sdetector rod 16, both extend underneath the rail 1 and, as here shown, cooperate at theirifree ends with a combined switch lock and point detectorC embody ing my invention, which switch lock also cooperates with thehand throw lever 13 of the fully hereinafter.

Referring now also the switch lock 10 embraces a suitablecasing which. in the form here shown, comprises a main housing 17 and two auxiliary housings 18. and 19 which are attached to the main housing 17,.- The main housing 17- is intended tobe secured to a railway tie or other convenient support adjacent the switch operating device'B andfor this purpose, this-housing is provideiwith apertured feet 20 through which lag screws or other suitable fastening; devices may be passed. A cover 21, hineedyto the main housing 17;by means of lugs 22.0ne of which is shown in Figl 4. normally closes the upper end of this hous- 85,

ing, but permits convenient access to the interior of, the housing for inspection or repair of the mechanism. The cover 21 is adapted to be fastened in its closed position by means of a suitable fastening device 23 which is slotted '130'90 receive an eye 23 secured to the cover 21.-v

As best seen inFig, 4, a horizontally extending rectangular guideway, 24L formed "in. part in the main housing 17, and in part in the aux to Figsrto 7 inclusive,

to the front rod 4 of the switch A5 will be explained .70

ilia'ryhousing 19, ,slidably'receives the, free end 5 of thepreviously described-lock rod 14, and a 'circular guideway 25 formed in the auxiliary housing :19 slidably receives the freeend'of the point detector rod 16.--'The lock1rodj14 is] provided. with-a hole 14?,Whi0h, whenthe switch occupies its full normal-position in which'it is shown in the drawings, registers with two aligned ho1es28 and29 formed in themain housing 17,

and in the auxiliary housing -19, respectively. I. v Extending into the holes 28and 29 and co'operat- I ing with the hole 14 in the lockrod 14 for at, times locking the switch A in its normal position, is one end of a locking plunger 26, the other end of whichisslidably mounted in a bracket 27 secured to the bbaom of the main 11 0 housing 17. The locking plunger 26 is constant- 1y urged into engagement with the lock rod 14 by means of a coil spring 30 which surrounds the locking plunger between the bracket 27 and a washer ,31 which abuts against a pin 32 carried by the plunger. The pin 32 extends horizontally through the locking plunger at right angles to the axis of the plunger, and is spaced from a second similar pin 33, one function of' which is to limit the movement of the plunger toward the left as viewed in Fig.4 when the plunger is within the hole 14 in the lock rod 14.

35 projects through the housing l7 and is provided at one end with a foot pedal 37' (seeFig. 3). It will be seen that by depressing the foot pedal 37, therockshait 35,.and hence the lever 34,- may be rotated in acounter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, thus causing the lockingplunger 26 to move toward the right in opposition to the bias of thespring 30 tothe position in which the lockingplunger is out of en-' gagement with the hole 14 in the lock rod 14.

The end of the rockshaft 35 opposite to that to which the foot pedal 37 is attached extends into the auxiliary housing 18, and has fixed thereto a locking segment 38 which cooperates v with a lever latch 39, as best seen in Figs. '5

and 6. The lever latchl39 is pivoted on a pin 40 carried by two vertical standards 41 formed on an extension 18 of the auxiliary housing 18,

, and is provided with ahorizontal arm 39 and I a vertical arm 39*.

extends into the housing 18 through an open-' The horizontal arm 33 ing 18 and cooperates at its inner end with a cam 38 formed on the locking segment 38,

., in suchmanner-that when the foot pedal'37' occupies itsnormal position, the lower edge of the cam 38 will engage the upper side of the arm 39 and hold the lever latch in its normal position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 5, but that, when the foot pedal 37 is depressed, the lever latch 39 will then be free to rotate to the position in which it' is shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 5. The vertical arm 39 of the lever latch 39 is provided with anose 39 which, 'whenthe hand throw'lever l3 occupiesits normal position, in which it is shown in the drawings, and the lever latchoccupies its normal position, overlies the hand? throw lever. It will be seen therefore that the .hahd throw lever cannotbe raised to operate the switchfrom'its normal position unless the foot pedal 3'? is firstdepressed to move the cam 38 out of engagement with the horizontal arm 39 ofithe lever latch. It will also be seen that, due to the shapeof the nose 39 on the vertical arm'39 of the .lever latch, when the hand throw lever is raised to reverse the switch A, the lever latch'will be automatically operated to its dot and dash line position. The lever latch is sodesigned that when it is once moved to its dot and dash line position, it will be held in this position by" gravity until the hand throw lever is again restored to its normal position, at which time the hand throw lever will engage -the upper side of the arm 39 of the lever latch and rotate the lever latch to its normal position.

As best. seen in Figs. 5 and 7, the foot pedal 37 is provided with a downwardly projecting lug 47 which cooperates with a locking hasp 42 for at times locking the foot pedal in its normal position. The locking hasp 42 is'pivoted at its lower end on a pin'43 carried by a lug 44 formed on a plate'45 attached to-the outer side of the main housing 17 directly below the foot pedal 37, and is provided in itsupper end with a recess 46 which is adapted to receive the lug 47. It will be apparent that when the locking hasp occupies the position in ,which the lug 47 is within the recess 46 as shown in Fig. 5, rotation of-the foot pedal 37 is prevented. The foot pedal may be released, however, by rotating the locking hasp in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 from its full line position in which it engages the lug 47 to its dot and dash line position in which it is out of engagement with the lug 47. The lug 4'7 is provided with an eye 4'7 through which a padlock pedal 47 arein the relative positions shown,

the hasp'cannot be rotated to the-position in vvhich it is out, of engagement'with the lug,

and it follows, therefore, that under these conditions, the foot pedal is locked. in its normal position.

As best seen in Fig. 4, a lever 49 is pivotally and is provided with a roller 51 which coop-er ates with the chamieredend 26 of the locking' plunger 26. The lever 49'is also provided with downwardly extending fingers 49 which straddle the locking plunger 26, and which ccoperate with a transverse pin 52 extending through the locking plunger at right angles to theaxis of the plunger.

An operating member 53 is pivotally attached to the lever at '77, and is guided to move vertically 'bymeans of studs '75 which pass freely through holes 76 in the operating member. 53 actuates a circuit controller, designated a whole by the reference character D.

The circuit controller D may be of any suitable type, but as here shown, this circuit controller comprises two contact members 54 and 55 (see Fig. 4) attached to the opposite sides of an insulating block '58 by means of terminal posts 56 and 5'7. Theinsulating block 58 is supported on lugs 59 projecting inwardly from the sides of the housing l7. The terminal post 53 is electrically connected with the contact member 55, but'is insulated from the contact member 54,.

as will beapparent from an inspection of the drawings, and the terminal post 57 is electrically connected'with the contact member 54, but is insulated from the contact member 55. Qne end.

The operating member ice I .mounted on a pin 5i) carried by the bracket 27,

of the contact member 55 is formed with an in-' tegral relatively rigid contact finger 55 and the corresponding end of the'contact member 541s formed with an integral relatively flexible con-' tact finger 54 which cooperates with the contact finger 55 to form a contact 5455 The movable contact finger 54"- is'clamped between two insulating blocks 60 and 51 which are attached to the operating member 53 by means of suit able screws. The parts are so proportioned that when the locking plunger is within the notch 14 in the lock rod 14 as shown in the drawings, the pin 52 will engage the fingers 45" on the lever 49, and will rotate the lever 49 to the position in which the contact 54%55 is held open by the operating member 53. o u

The contact member 55 is also formed with a second relatively rigid contact finger 55 and the contact member 54 is likewise formed with a secondrelatively flexible contact finger 54 which member Ge -which carries the insulating block,

78. i The arms 64, and 64 are pivoted on studs 65 screwed into the side wall of the housing 17,

and the free ends of these arms are provided withcounterweights 66 which bias-the operating .yoke to the position in which the contact Si --55 is open, as shown in Fig. '4. The yoke 64 is operated by a lever 67 which is journalled intermediate its ends-on the rock shaft 35. One end of the lever 67 engages a lug 64 (see Figs. 3 and 4) ,formed on the connecting member 64 of the yoke 64, and the other end of the lever 67 enters a recess 68 formed in the upper end of a plunger rod 70. The plunger rod 70 is slidably mounted in a vertical guideway 71 formed in the auxiliary housing 19, and is provided at its lower end with a roller '72 which cooperates with an annular notch 73 formed in the point detector rod 16. A- pin 74carried by the plunger rod 70 acts as a stop to. limit the downward movement of the plunger rod to the desired amount.

The circuit controller b may comprise any suitable number of sets of contact members 54 and 55,, four such sets being shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The corresponding contact members of each set are connected together by means of conducting strips79 which are electrically connected to the terminal posts 56 and 57 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. 1 1

In explaining the operation of the apparatus as a whole, I will assume that the parts are all in their normal positions in which they are shown in. full lines-in the drawings, and in which switch A is locked, and that it is :desired to reverse the switch points. lock is first removed fromthe eye 475m the lug 47 on the foot pedal 37, and the locking has p 142 is then rotated in a clockwise direction, as

viewed in Fig. 5, to the position in which the locking-hasp is clear of the lug 47 on the foot pedal 37. :The foot pedal 3'? is next depressed. 3 -As previously pointed out, when the foot pedal 37 is depressed the locking plunger 26 ismoved.

to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, to the, position in which it is out of engagement with the hole 14 in the lock rod 14; and at the same time the locking segment 38 .is rotated in .a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6'to the position in which the cam 38 is out of thepath of movement of the inner end of the horizontal arm 39 of the-lever latch 39. The movement of the locking plunger 26 out of the notch 14 in the lock rod 14 unlocks the switch points, and in addition, due to the coaction between the chamfered end 26 of the locking plunger '26 and the roller 51 carried by the lever 49, causes the lever 49 to rotate in the direction to raise the operating member 53 and close the contacts 54 -55 of circuit controller D. The parts of circuit controller D are so arranged and so proportioned that the contacts 54 55 will become closed before the locking plunger has been completelywithdrawn from the hole 14 in the To do this, the padstore the foot pedalto its normal'positionjand, 1 due to the coaction' between the pin 52 andthe lock rod 14. The lever; latch once having been released, the hand throw lever 13 may be operated to reverse the switch points in theusual manner. When this is done, the lever latch 39 is automatically rotated toits dot and dash line position, and is subsequently held in this position by gravity and friction. ,In this latter po- "sition of, the lever latch, the arm 39. thereof engages the, right-hand edge 38 of the cam 38, as viewed in Fig.6, and thus holds the rockshaft 8 35 in the positionto which itwas moved by depressing the foot pedal. =As a resu1t,"the foot pedal 37 may be released as soon as the hand throw lever has been raised a small amount from its normal position, .and; the-plunger rod 26zwill ,90 V

then remain out of engagement with the lock rod 14 so that; the contacts 54 55 of circuit controller D will continue'to remain closed as long as the lever latch. remainsin' its dot and dash line position which will'normally be until 9 thehandthrow lever 13 is returned to its normal position. The movement .of the switch points to their reverse positions moves thepoint detector rod 16 toward the left as, viewed in Figs. 3 and 5 tothe position'i-n which the notch 73 is out of alignment with theroller '72 on the plungerrod 70, thus forcing the plunger rod upwardly, and hence rotating the lever 67 in -a clockwise direction about the shaft 35 asviewed in Fig. 4; The clockwise rotationof the lever 67 forces the operating yoke 64 downwardly in opposition to the bias of the counterweights 66,

thus cl'osingthe contacts 54 555 9 of circuit con-; troller D. u I I When it is desired to again restore the parts and hence'releases rockshaft 35. ;As a result, if

the hole'14 in the lock rod li then aligns prop erly with theholes .28 and 29in the housings] 1'1 and 19, as will be the case when the switch points have not been damaged due, for example, to an improper trailing movement, the spring 30 will automatically return the locking plunger 26 to the position inwhich it enters the hole; 14. Thisv movement of; the locking plunger will refingers 49 onilever 49, will also rotate lever 49 in the directionto open the contacts S P-55 1 of circuit controller D. With the switch points" in their normal positions, the notch '73 in the. lock rod 16 will again align with the roller 72 on the plunger rod 70, and the plunger rod '70 will thereforeassujme the positionshown in Fig;

5, thuspermitting the counterweights 667to r0 tate the operating yoke 64 to the positionin iz which the contacts 50-55 of. circuit controller D are open. The footpedal' having been re-. stored to its normal position, may now be locked in this position by rotating the hasp 42 to the position shown in Fig. 5 and inserting the pad: lock 48 in the eye '47. All parts will thenbe; locked in their-normal, positions. I 1 Thecontactsof the circuit controller B may be utilized to shunt a track circuit for the con trol of automatic signals in a manner wellknown the art or for any other desired purpose. I 7 It will be readily understood from the foregoa ing and from anins'pectionof the drawings that,- should the lever latch 39 be improperly??? 11o to the position shown, the hand .throw lever l3 manipulated when the switch points have been reversed by the hand throw lever so as to move to bring the end of the locking plunger up against the lock rod'14. This movement of the 7 locking plungeris' insufficient to open the contacts5455 of circuit controller D and it will be seen, therefore, that no dangerous condition would exist under these conditions. The hand throw lever 13 can, under these conditions, be readily restored to its normal position because, due to the shapeof the nose 39 on the 'arm 39 of the lever-latch 39 the hand throw lever upon engaging the arm'BS will automatically rotate the lever latch to its dash line "position 'pro-' vided foot pedal 37 is then depressed.

It will also be readily understood from the foregoing, and from an inspection of the drawings, that any improper position of the switch points due for example to a train trailing through the switch when the switch is locked in its normal position will move the point'detector rod 16 to the left, as viewed in Fig. '5, a sufficient distance to force the plunger rod 70 out of the notch '73, thus closing the contacts M -55 of circuit controller D, and hence i'n dicating the improper operation.

One'advantage of a switch lock embodying my invention' is that it provides mechanical looking appended I claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. 7 r 7, l-Iaving thusdescribedmy invention, what I claim is: r v i v e 1. The combination with the movable points of a' railway switch and a hand throw lever for moving the switch points, of a lock rod connected with the switch points to move there-' with; a locking plunger biased into engagement with said look rod and cooperating with the lock rodfor at times locking the switch points in one position, means for at times moving said locking plunger lock the switch points, means 'for preventing movement of the hand throw lever to move the switch points from said one position except when the switch points are unlocked; and a contact controlledby said locking plunger and arranged to be operated when said switch points are unlocked but not are locked.

2. The combination with the movable points of a railway switch and a hand throw leverfor moving the switch points, of a lock rod connectvwhen said switch points ed with the switch points tomove therewith, a

locking plunger biased into engagement with said lock rod andcooperatin'g with the lock rod vfor at times locking the switch points in one ventingmovement of-the hand throw lever to move the switch points from said one'position' in opposition to its bias to un,

except when the switch points are unlocked, a contact, and means for operating said contact when said plunger is moved in opposition to its bias by said foot operated means.

3. The combination with the movable points of a railway switch and a hand throw lever for moving the switch points, of a lock rod connectedwith the switch points to move therewith, a locking plunger, biased into engagement with said lock rod and cooperating with the lock rod for at times locking the switch points in one position, means for at times moving said locking plunger in opposition to its bias to unlock the switch points, means for preventing movement of the hand throw lever to move said switch points from said one position except when the switch points are unlocked, a contact, and means for operating said contact if said switch points 7 are trailed when they are locked in said one position; e I e 4..1he combination with the movable points of a railway switch and a hand throw lever for movingthe switch points, of a lock rod attached to said switch points and provided with an opening a switch lock comprising a casing, a guideway formed insaid casing and slidably receiving said loci: rod, a locking plunger slidably mounted in said casing, means for biasing said looking plunger to a' position in which said lock-I ing plunger wiil enter said opening in'said lock red when said switch points are in their normal positions, a rocirshaitjournalled in said casing,

a lever fixed to said rockshaft and operatively connected withsaid locking plunger, a foot pedal fixed to rocirshaft, alever 'latchforcontrolling the movement of the hand throw lever, and a locking segment secured to said roclrshaft'and providedfwith a cam for controlling the movements of the lever latch;

5. The combination with the movable points 1 'ofa railway switch and a hand throw'lever for moving the switch points, of a lock rod attached to the switch points for movement therewithand provided with an'opening, a point detector rod secured'to one switch-point for movement therewith-and provided with a notch, a

plunger rod cooperating with the notch in said ing adapted to prevent movement of said hand throw lever to move said switch points from their normal positions whensaid lever latch isv looked in said one position, means for simultaneously withdrawing said locking plunger from the opening in said loci; rod andjfor unlocking 1 said lever latch, and a circuit controller controlled jointly by said plunger rod and said lock-a ing plunger. V

6. The combination with the movable'switch points of a railway switch and a hand throw lever for moving the switch points, of means for separately locking the switch points and the hand throw lever simultaneously, a foot pedal for controllingsaid locking means, a lug on said foot pedal provided with a hole for the recep tion of a locking device, and a pivoted locking hasp provided with a recess adapted to receive said lug andso arranged that said hasp may be maintained in engagement with said lug by' placing the locking device in said hole.

7. The combination with the movable switch 150 points of a. railway switch and a hand throw lever for moving the switch points, of a lever latch for controlling the movements ofthe hand throw lever, a look rod connected with the switch points for movement therewith, a locking plunger cooperating with the lock rod for look; ing the switch points in one position, a foot,

pedal'for controlling said lever latch and said locking plunger, and a contact arranged to be locking plunger, a first contact arranged to be operated when said foot pedal is operated, and a second contact arranged to be operated when one of said switch points is moved from itsnormal position.

9.'The combination with the movable points of a railway switch and a hand throw lever for moving the switch points, ofa lock rod attachedto said switch points for movement therewith and provided with an opening, a point detector rod attached to the switch point which is closed in the normal position of the switch and provided with a notch, a switch lock comprising a casing provided with guideways which slidably receive said lock rod and said point detector rod, a locking plunger slidably mounted in said casing and biased to a position in which said' plunger rod will enter said opening in said lock rod when and only when the switch points are in their normal positions, a rockshaft journalled in said casing, a lever fixed to said rockshaft and operatively connected with said plunger rod, a foot pedal fixed to said rockshaft, a circuit controller comprising a pair of insulated contact members one of which is provided at each end with a fixed contact finger and the other of which is provided at each end with a movable contact finger which cooperates with one of said fixed contact fingers to form a contact,

means responsive to the position of said lock. rod for operating one of said movable contact fingers, a plunger rod mounted in a guideway formed in said casing and biased to such a position that said plunger rod will enter such a notch in said point detector rod when andonly when the switch point to which sa-id'point detector rod is attached occupies its full normal position, a pivoted yoke for operating the remaining movable contact finger and biased to one position, and a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said rockshaft and cooperating at one endwith said plunger rod and at the other end with said operating yoke for attimes operating said operating yoke. 1

, 10. In combination with a movable switch point, a lock rod connected with said switch point to move therewith, 'a foot pedal, amember controlled in part by said foot pedal and movable between a first position in which said member engages said lock rod to lock it against a movement and a second position in which said j lock rodis unlocked, a contact, and means con-L trolled by said member for operating said contact just before said lock rod becomes unlocked;

11. In combination with a movable switch point, a lock rod connected with said switch point to move therewith, afoot pedal, a member controlled by said foot pedal and cooperating with said lock rodfor at times locking said switch point in one position, and a contact controlled by said member in such manner that when said member is operated to unlock'said switch point said contact will become operated before said switch point becomes unlocked.

12.'In combination, a lock rod adapted to be connected with the movable point of. a railway switch to move therewith and provided with a hole, a member biased to such position that said member will at times enter said hole and prevent movement of said lock rod, a foot pedal for. withdrawing said member from said hole, a contact, and means for controllingsaid contact in such manner that when said foot pedal is operated to withdraw said member from said hole' said contact will become operated before said member is fully withdrawn.

, WILLIAM C. McWHIR'IER." 

